Here's my shot...

NCAA: Louisiana (locked in)

NIT: Southern Miss (Locked in)

CBI: Marshall, JMU (16 team tournament)

TBC: Troy, ODU, USA (32 team tournament)

I hope Marshall or JMU join us in the NIT.

Byington has said that JMU won't play in any of the lower tournaments, we'd only accept an NIT invite and he knows that isn't coming.

It costs a lot of money to play in those tournaments and even a lot of NIT teams lose money.

(03-06-2023 10:00 PM)Noodles Wrote:  I hope Marshall or JMU join us in the NIT.

I think our limited window closed tonight, as another random conference #1 seed fell tonight (Hofstra) taking another potential NIT bid.

Further, to the JMU poster, I would be fine with a CBI invite. It's postseason play.

Marshall already has a CIT championship (now called The Basketball Classic)

Finally, I'm pretty sure these championship games are broadcast.

I think the conference is close to moving up a level in basketball. Multiple bids, ranked teams, more exposure.
We need more consistency from refs, but otherwise things seem on a good trajectory.

(03-06-2023 10:08 PM)Eagleyed Wrote:  It costs a lot of money to play in those tournaments and even a lot of NIT teams lose money.

Last I checked it was just under $30,000 for the CBI, with 5,000 average attendance, Marshall would easily clear five times that at $25 an average ticket.

And that's just for one game.

Additionally, yes the CBI championship is broadcast on ESPN2 so I will be cool with that if we can't get into the NIT.

Yeah I agree with you, I think it could be a great way to help keep building momentum for our MBB program that's been down for so long. Also some nice extra basketball for the seniors and extra experience for the guys coming back.

Not sure if the team just isn't interested or if it's due to all the costs that have come along with the conference move already. Either way, understandable but a little bit disappointing.

(03-06-2023 10:11 PM)Noodles Wrote:  I think the conference is close to moving up a level in basketball. Multiple bids, ranked teams, more exposure.
We need more consistency from refs, but otherwise things seem on a good trajectory.

Southern Miss and the refs again, lol.

(03-06-2023 10:13 PM)rileylives Wrote:  

(03-06-2023 10:08 PM)Eagleyed Wrote:  It costs a lot of money to play in those tournaments and even a lot of NIT teams lose money.

Last I checked it was just under $30,000 for the CBI, with 5,000 average attendance, Marshall would easily clear five times that at $25 an average ticket.

And that's just for one game.

Additionally, yes the CBI championship is broadcast on ESPN2 so I will be cool with that if we can't get into the NIT.

Average attendance, most of those on season tickets, plus students in for free. How many of those would pay for a single-game ticket against a no-name?

Also, CBI is hosted all in Daytona Beach, so yeah, no money to be made there.

(03-06-2023 10:22 PM)warhawk09 Wrote:  

(03-06-2023 10:11 PM)Noodles Wrote:  I think the conference is close to moving up a level in basketball. Multiple bids, ranked teams, more exposure.
We need more consistency from refs, but otherwise things seem on a good trajectory.

Southern Miss and the refs again, lol.

Lol.

Right after the coach said the part about only accepting an NIT bid, Tak Molson and Mezie Offurum talked about how they love to take on any challenge that comes their way.

I read that as them saying they would love to play another game, but I'm not sure if the administration has already said (behind closed doors) they won't pay and this was the coach's way of deflecting that or what.

One other point- the $30,000 buy in is just to play, not to host. Not sure if the schools share in ticket profits or not, but it would not be a money maker. It would be a nice token for the seniors and more tournament experience for the younger guys, though. If there is some added exposure from broadcasts, even better.

In that case I definitely see Marshall paying for $30,000 or whatever it is. I think Dan would push for it.

He's going to try and campaign hard to send Taevion Kinsey out on a better note, and hopefully lobby to keep Andrew Taylor back in the fold for one more season next year.

(03-06-2023 10:22 PM)warhawk09 Wrote:  

(03-06-2023 10:11 PM)Noodles Wrote:  I think the conference is close to moving up a level in basketball. Multiple bids, ranked teams, more exposure.
We need more consistency from refs, but otherwise things seem on a good trajectory.

Southern Miss and the refs again, lol.

Ehh I don't think anyone was happy with the refs this year. The only consistency was that they were consistently bad lol

Marshall and JMU deserve NIT bids. Not sure if both get in but I think Marshall has a good chance.

When's the last time the SBC had more than 2 teams in the NCAA/NIT tournaments?

(03-06-2023 10:08 PM)Eagleyed Wrote:  It costs a lot of money to play in those tournaments and even a lot of NIT teams lose money.

I don't know what the net gain or loss was from our 2015 CBI run was but it did a lot for building excitement around the program and Fant-Ewing was rocking especially in the semi-final and game 1 of the finals. Unfortunately, as with most things ULM, we could not maintain the excitement but it could have been, and should have been, a great building block for us.

(03-06-2023 10:48 PM)TTT Wrote:  Marshall and JMU deserve NIT bids. Not sure if both get in but I think Marshall has a good chance.

When's the last time the SBC had more than 2 teams in the NCAA/NIT tournaments?

I think we're on the outside looking in...their are other NIT bubble teams like Colorado that would get in before us

Please no PAY FOR PLAY tournaments for The Herd. The team tanked a few weeks ago, no need to have another loss.

(03-06-2023 11:01 PM)Flat Tire 2 Wrote:  Please no PAY FOR PLAY tournaments for The Herd. The team tanked a few weeks ago, no need to have another loss.

If you are rebuilding a program then the pay-to-play tournaments can be really beneficial. If you have a fairly well established program, even if it's a bit of a down year, I don't think they offer anything your program needs. I think the only exception to that would be if you have a really young team. Then it's just more PT.

(03-06-2023 11:04 PM)WARDAWG93 Wrote:  

(03-06-2023 11:01 PM)Flat Tire 2 Wrote:  Please no PAY FOR PLAY tournaments for The Herd. The team tanked a few weeks ago, no need to have another loss.

If you are rebuilding a program then the pay-to-play tournaments can be really beneficial. If you have a fairly well established program, even if it's a bit of a down year, I don't think they offer anything your program needs. I think the only exception to that would be if you have a really young team. Then it's just more PT.

It would be a one and done. The team has tanked. Rumors are that at least two returning players are transferring out.